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Introducing...Rubén González

{{Infobox album

| name = Introducing... Rubén González

| type = studio

| artist = Rubén González

| cover = Rubéngonzález.jpeg

| alt =

| released = September 16, 1997

| recorded = April 1996

| venue =

| studio = EGREM, Havana, Cuba

| genre = *Danzón

| length = 45:54

| label = *World Circuit

| producer = Nick Gold

| prev_title = Rubén González

| prev_year = 1975

| next_title = Chanchullo

| next_year = 2000

}}

{{Album ratings

| rev1 = Allmusic

| rev1Score = {{Rating|4.5|5}} [{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r311234|pure_url=yes}} link]

| noprose = yes

}}

Introducing... Rubén González is the second studio album by Cuban pianist Rubén González. It was recorded at EGREM studios in Havana, Cuba, during April 1996, as the last of the sessions that also yielded the albums A Toda Cuba le Gusta and Buena Vista Social Club.{{cite web |last1= Díaz Ayala |first1= Cristóbal |title= Rubén González Fontanills |url= http://latinpop.fiu.edu/SECCION02G.pdf |website= Encyclopedic Discography of Cuban Music 1925-1960 |publisher= Florida International University Libraries |access-date= February 7, 2016 |date= Fall 2013}} It was released on September 16, 1997, through World Circuit, thus becoming González's international debut. The album reached number seventeen on Billboard Top Latin Albums. In 2014 it was awarded a diamond certification from the Independent Music Companies Association,{{cite web |title= Diamond Award: Introducing... Rubén González |date= 1997 |url= http://www.impalamusic.org/sites/default/files/pictures/Awards1.png |website= impalamusic.org |publisher= Independent Music Companies Association (IMPALA) |access-date= August 27, 2017}} which indicated sales of at least 200,000 copies throughout Europe.{{cite web |title= Awards |at= The Award categories |date= 2022 |url= https://www.impalamusic.org/awards/ |website= impalamusic.org |publisher= Independent Music Companies Association (IMPALA) |access-date= March 28, 2022}}

{{TOClimit|2}}

Recording

This album was made at the end of World Circuit's three week recording session at EGREM Studios in Havana that had started in March 1996.Williamson, Nigel (1997). Sleeve notes from Introducing... Rubén González, World Circuit Records WCD 049, 1997.{{rp|3}} Every morning during the recording of A Toda Cuba le Gusta (produced by Juan de Marcos González), Rubén would wait for the studio's doors to open and would rush to the piano and play. The same would happen throughout the recording of Buena Vista Social Club (produced by Ry Cooder).{{rp|3}} After these two albums were completed, Rubén was still at the piano.

{{quote box|align=center|border=none|quote=

It was such a beautiful piano and I had to play it. They were all my friends around so I went and started playing a tumbao. Then, Cachaíto joined me on the bass, then the rhythm started to play and it was good. But then someone turned up the lights. I thought they wanted me to stop because I was interrupting. Then I saw Nick put his thumb up and they asked me to stay.

|salign=right|source=—Rubén González, in Rubén González by Nigel Williamson.{{rp|5}}

}}

Not only was he asked to stay, but he was invited to record his own album, to choose his own repertoire and to play for as long as he wanted. With virtually no rehearsals, the band played this collection of classic Cuban tunes, as a series of descargas (Cuban jam sessions).{{rp|5}}

Track listing

  1. "La engañadora" (Enrique Jorrín) – 2:32
  2. "Cumbanchero" (Rafael Hernández) – 4:35
  3. "Tres lindas cubanas" (Guillermo Castillo) – 5:22
  4. "Melodía del río" (Rubén González) – 4:42
  5. "Mandinga" (Guillermo Rodríguez Fiffe) – 8:28
  6. "Siboney" (Ernesto Lecuona) – 2:32
  7. "Almendra" (Abelardo Valdés) – 9:52
  8. "Tumbao" (Rubén González) – 5:11
  9. "Como siento yo" (Rubén González) – 2:40

Personnel

{{col-start}}

{{col-2}}

=Musicians=

{{col-2}}

=Production=

  • Juan de Marcos González – arranger, conductor, background vocals
  • Nick Gold – producer
  • Jerry Boys  – engineer, mixing
  • Duncan Cowell – mastering
  • Lucy Durán – photography, interviewer
  • Cristina Piza – photography
  • Kathryn Samson – cover design, sleeve design
  • Nigel Williamson – liner notes

{{col-end}}

Charts

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
scope="col"| Chart (2000)

! scope="col"| Peak
position

scope="row"| Australian Albums (ARIA Charts){{cite Ryan|page=116}}

| 100

Certifications and sales

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|region=United Kingdom|artist=Ruben Gonzales|title=Introducing|award=Silver|id=3368-3179-2|relyear=1997|certyear=2013|accessdate=4 April 2021}}

{{certification Table Entry|type=album|region=United States|artist=Ruben Gonzales|title=Introducing Ruben Gonzales|nocert=true|salesamount=228,000|relyear=1997|salesref={{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1xIEAAAAMBAJ&q=the+mask+and+mirror+loreena+mckennitt+nielsen+soundscan&pg=PA28|title=World's greatest|publisher=Billboard |date=16 June 2007|accessdate=3 May 2019}}}}

{{Certification Table Summary}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|region=Europe|artist=Ruben Gonzales|title=Introducing|nocert=true|relyear=1997|salesamount=200,000|salesref=}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true}}

References

{{reflist}}

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Category:1997 albums

Category:Rubén González (pianist) albums

Category:1990s Spanish-language albums

Category:Nonesuch Records albums

Category:World Circuit (record label) albums